Latest Updates from Our Project:

BIG NEWS!

On Saturday, Sept 8th, I received the pre-production proofs. They look great!!! Take a look:

The Proofs!

Next steps:

There are two small typos that I found on the dust jacket, which also show up on page 105 in the book. I've fixed them and sent the new files to the printer already.

I'll sign one of the books, a copy of the dust jacket, and a copy of the page proofs, to confirm my approval, and send them back to the print coordinator today!

They will then put the books in the official print queue and it'll just be a matter of waiting for delivery!

I'll order the tee shirts, posters, screen prints, and packaging for shipping about three weeks from the delivery date for the books. Those things take less time, so I want to make sure everything arrives around the same time.

Once I have everything on hand, I'll throw the packing party/performance/potluck, we'll put everything together, and send it out!

Timeline:

The last quote I got from the printer was 10-12 weeks on the books. That puts the delivery date sometime in December. Full disclosure: I really want them to be here in time for the holidays and will do everything I can to make that happen, but it's possible we won't hit that target. I don't want to disappoint anyone, so I wanted to put that on the table as soon as I heard. I will keep you posted with any and all new information as it comes to me. Keep your fingers crossed!

The Future:

Once this edition is in your hands, I'm going to press the second edition specifically for veterinarians, pet grief counselors, and pet stores. Those will be shorter, without all the credits at the end and without the Many Bennys art gallery. It'll reduce printing and shipping costs for me and also make sure that the first edition is absolutely, unquestionably unique.

I'm still doing this all by myself, so if you have any expertise in product distribution or know anyone who does, please let me know!

I also plan to expand the guided cathartic writing area at BennyPointer.com to serve people better and give everyone some tools for writing and sharing your own stories of love. My hope is to turn it into a forum where we can all benefit from each other's creativity and kindness. One of the most important lessons I've learned in this process was that, when we're overwhelmed by loss, it's important to remember... we may feel lonely but we are never really alone.

I'm also really curious as to what you think I should do moving forward. Just like Benny, I am here to love, serve, and support. How do you think I can do that best?

Please leave your suggestions as comments below, and thanks again for your support and patience along the way!

Quite simply, it means that from now on, instead of new orders being added to the number, the total has been set at 2750 and the countdown has begun!

If you're already a backer, that means you are all set. Your order is in and the books will come to you. If any of your friends want a copy though, they should grab one sooner than later - There are only about 1000 extra, so spread the word! They can get theirs at http://is.gd/TheBennyBook

Now that the books have been ordered, here are the last few steps:

It will take them 10-12 weeks to land on my doorstep

I will order the art prints, posters, and tee shirts at around the 8-week mark so they all arrive at about the same time as the books. They will only take about a week or two to turn around.

'll have the performance/potluck/packing party when the books come in and then...

I'll send them to you!

As a bonus for those who help pack, I've ordered some special versions of the book with white covers instead of blue, so they look like Benny. Those will not have dust jackets, but they will come in special plastic bags to protect them. I will give one of those to each person who shows up. They will be unnumbered so will all be equally valuable to collectors someday.

Lastly, if you're not on Facebook or haven't been following along, I did a lot of the work in open sessions with a camera rolling as I answered questions and worked on the designs. As always, you can view all of them here whether or not you have a Facebook account: http://bennypointer.com/video-updates/

Thank you *so* much for all your patience and support through this whole process! I appreciate each and every one of you!

We're on the last step in the design process: adding your voice! Please describe your feelings about the story in one sentence as a comment below. I'll pick the 3 or 4 sweetest ones to print inside the front cover of the first edition!

I recently sent a message to all the backers sharing this page: http://bennypointer.com/video-updates

That's where you can watch all the action from Benny's facebook page, whether you have an account on that platform or not. The only disadvantage is that it won’t simulcast a live broadcast, you can only watch the video of what happened. I don’t mean to exclude people, I’m just doing my best as a one-man publishing house to go show up where the largest number of Benny’s buddies live online.

If you do have a facebook account, I'll be livestreaming the last of the editing tomorrow at noon central time! I’ll walk the last few steps with you, talk about where we are in the process and what that means in terms of the timeline, and answer any questions you have.

Here’s the link to Benny’s page:
https://facebook.com/benny.pointer

Thanks for your patience and support through all of this. You have all been incredibly kind and I appreciate it deeply.